MADISON, wis. —As much as President Barack Obama wants your vote, he’s not actually offering to pay your monthly bills.
But thousands of Americans have been persuaded otherwise, falling victim to a fast-moving scam that claims to be part of an Obama administration program to help pay utility bills in the midst of a scorching summer.
The scheme spread quickly across the nation in recent weeks with help from victims who unwittingly shared it on social media sites before realizing they had been conned out of personal information such as Social Security, credit card and checking account numbers.
“No one knows who is behind this,” said Katherine Hutt, spokeswoman for the Council of Better Business Bureaus. “We’re pretty concerned.”
Here’s how it works: Victims receive an automated phone call informing them of the nonexistent utility program that will supposedly pay up to $1,000. There have also been reports of the hoax spreading by text message, fliers left at homes and even personal visits.
Victims are told they have to provide personal information. In exchange, they are given a bank routing number and checking account number to provide their utility company when making a payment.
